With the image control functions of the XL H1 at your fingertips, you can enjoy unparalleled control over your image. From luminance to color saturation to latitude, every aspect of the image can be manipulated to deliver whatever "look" best suits your needs.

Gamma: There are three settings, NORMAL, CINE1 and CINE2. The NORMAL setting is used when images are to be viewed on a TV monitor. If CINE1 is selected, the resulting quality and grayscale resemble those of a movie film. This is a gamma adjustment for creating images on TV that appear like movies. The CINE2 setting is a gamma adjustment for images that are to be transferred to film. The Gamma curve can be refined by setting one of the Gammas and then using the other image adjustments to fine tune the exact look that is needed.

Knee: This adjusts the dynamic range (knee point) at the high-brightness end (highlight area), to limit overexposure when high-brightness subjects are shot. Settings are AUTO, HIGH, MIDDLE, and LOW. When HIGH is set, overexposure tends to occur more readily, but the scenes can be shot high-key. When LOW is set, the extent of the overexposure can be limited.

Black: Adjusts the dynamic range in the black area of the image. STRETCH, MIDDLE and PRESS are selectable. When STRETCH is set, the dynamic range in the black areas is expanded, emphasizing contrast in the dark area, so that the grayscale for black can be expressed. When PRESS is set, the dynamic range in the black areas is narrowed -- the darkness is enhanced or deepened -- so the grayscale for black is reduced. This is adjusted to suit the user's personal preference.

Master pedestal: This adjusts the bottom portion of the Gamma curve without affecting the white portion of the Gamma curve. When the cursor is moved in the [+] direction, the dark areas of the image become brighter, and the contrast is reduced. Conversely, when it is moved in the [-] direction, these areas become darker, and the contrast is increased. This is user-adjustable to suit the user's personal preference. Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range, only in Camera mode.

Setup level: For adjusting the overall Gamma curve up or down. When the cursor is moved in the [+] direction, the shadow areas become brighter; conversely, when it is moved in the [-] direction, the screen darkens. Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range. Depending on the value set for the master pedestal, the setup level may not be able to take a negative value. In this case, adjusting the setup value within a certain value range will have no effect.

Sharpness: Adjusts the sharpness of images. When the cursor is moved in the [+] direction, the images become sharper; when moved in the [-] direction, they become more blurred. This is adjusted to suit the user's personal preference. Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range.

H detail: This adjusts the center frequency of the H detail. The center frequency in the horizontal direction can be set to HIGH (high range), MIDDLE (middle range), and LOW (low range).

H/V balance: This is for adjusting the horizontal/vertical percentage of detail correction in the -9 to +9 range, user adjustable to suit personal preferences.

Coring: Adjusts the subtle noise components on the screen. When the cursor is moved in the [+] direction, the noise becomes less noticeable. When the cursor is moved in the [-] direction, it becomes more noticeable. Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range, adjusted to suit the user's personal preference.

NR1: This function is for activating noise reduction that cycles through the fields. The variable range of the noise reduction level can be selected. The available settings are OFF, HIGH, MIDDLE, and LOW. In settings other than OFF, noise reduction level changes according to the gain, and the variable range becomes progressively larger as the setting is changed from LOW to MIDDLE to HIGH. Although the S/N ratio is improved, afterimages may appear in some cases. This is adjusted to suit the user's personal preference. When picture noise is already low due to the gain settings, the noise reduction may not be noticeable.

NR2: This function uses an epsilon filter that activates noise reduction in field units. The available settings are OFF, HIGH, MIDDLE, and LOW. By switching from LOW to HIGH, the entire screen appears with a smooth and soft presentation. This results in an effect similar to that of applying the skin detail function over the whole picture. Unlike with the NR1 setting, a trailing afterimage will not appear.

Color matrix: This adjusts the color during shooting. The available settings are NORMAL, CINE1 and CINE2. The NORMAL setting is a matrix based on the assumption that images will be viewed on a TV monitor. If CINE1 is selected, the resulting quality and grayscale resemble those of a movie film. This is a matrix for creating images on TV that appear like movies. The CINE2 setting is a matrix that is for images being transferred to film for viewing.

Color gain: Adjusts the coloring of images. When the cursor is moved in the [+] direction, the amount of coloring is increased; when moved in the [-] direction, it is reduced. Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range, adjusted to suit the user's personal preference.

Hue: For adjusting the hue of the images. When the cursor is moved in the [+] direction, the images become redder; when moved in the [-] direction, they become greener. Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range.

R gain: This is for adjusting the white balance (WB) of the images. When the cursor is moved in the [+] direction, WB shifts toward red; when moved in the [-] direction, it shifts toward cyan. The coloring is adjusted to suit the user's personal preference in a range of -9 to +9.

G gain: Also for adjusting the white balance (WB) of the images, when the cursor is moved in the [+] direction, WB shifts toward green; when moved in the [-] direction, it shifts toward magenta. The coloring is adjusted to suit the user's personal preference. Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range.

B gain: For adjusting the white balance (WB) of the images. When the cursor is moved in the [+] direction, WB shifts toward blue; when it is moved in the [-] direction, it shifts toward yellow. The coloring is adjusted to suit the user's personal preference, in a range of -9 to +9.

R-G matrix: This adjusts the color tint without affecting B (blue). Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range, adjusted to suit the user's personal preference.

R-B matrix: This function adjusts the color tint without affecting G (green). Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range, adjusted to suit the user's personal preference.

G-R matrix: This function adjusts the color tint without affecting B (blue). Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range, adjusted to suit the user's personal preference.

G-B matrix: This adjusts the color tint without affecting R (red). Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range, adjusted to suit the user's personal preference.

B-R matrix: Adjusts the color tint without affecting G (green). Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range, adjusted to suit the user's personal preference.

B-G matrix: This adjusts the color tint without affecting R (red). Adjustment is possible in the -9 to +9 range, adjusted to suit the user's personal preference.

Custom Presets: The functions listed above can be saved as Custom Presets in the XL H1, and then saved to a memory card, for transfer via the card to another XL H1.

Saving and Sharing Custom Presets: You can define preset levels for 23 recording specifications when recording on tape and 17 when recording still images on the memory card. Up to 6 custom presets can be stored in the camcorder's memory, and up to 20 can be stored on a memory card. You can copy the camcorder's custom presets to the memory card.

While recording to tape and simultaneously recording a still image on the memory card, the current recording specifications can be saved as a custom preset on the card. Later you can load that custom preset from the memory card to the camcorder. When saving the custom preset currently in use -- embedding it in a still image -- the number of custom preset files you can save is not limited to 20; you can record as many still images/CP files as there is free space available on the memory card.